Aarhus, Denmark

Port Overview

The Port of Aarhus is Denmark's largest commercial port, located in the city of Aarhus on the east coast of Jutland at the mouth of the Aarhus River on the Bay of Aarhus in Kattegat. It handles over 60% of Denmark's container traffic, making it strategically vital for the country's maritime trade. The port features six specialized terminals including container, bulk, tanker, multi, ferry, and cruise facilities. With a water depth of 15 meters and equipped with modern Post-Panamax and Super Post-Panamax cranes, the port handled approximately 431,000 TEU annually, serving as a key link between Denmark and global markets, including direct services to the Far East.

Facilities & Infrastructure

Port of Aarhus is Denmark's largest commercial port, handling over 10 million tons of cargo annually. The port features six specialized terminals: container, multi-use, bulk, tanker, ferry, and cruise terminals. The container terminal, operated by APM Terminals, spans 1,300 meters with 14-meter draft capacity, equipped with eight gantry cranes including Super Post-Panamax units. It handles approximately 60% of Denmark's container traffic and can accommodate vessels exceeding 20,000 TEU. The facility processes grain exports, plus coal, cement, and stone imports.

Container Terminals

Port of Aarhus operates Denmark's largest container terminals, handling over 70% of the country's container market with approximately 10 million tons of cargo annually. The APM Terminals facility features 8 berths with up to 14-15 meters water depth and can accommodate vessels over 20,000 TEU. The terminal uses modern equipment including Super Post-Panamax cranes, straddle carriers, and reachstackers, achieving around 35 gross moves per hour. MSC's Terminal Investment Limited is developing a second major container terminal at the Omniterminal, expected to be fully operational by 2027.

Port Services

Main Services at Port of Aarhus

The Port of Aarhus offers comprehensive maritime services including:

Container Operations: Denmark's largest container terminal handling over 50% of the country's container traffic, equipped with Post-Panamax and Super Post-Panamax cranes.

Cargo Handling: Multi-terminal for bulk cargo (coal, feedstuffs, project cargo), bulk terminal for grain and gravel, and tanker terminal for petroleum products and chemicals.

Ship Services: Ferry operations, cruise terminal facilities, ro-ro services, and 24/7 port agency support.

Storage & Logistics: Extensive warehousing facilities covering 750,000 m² at the container terminal, plus specialized storage for chemicals and offshore equipment.

Global Connectivity

Aarhus, Denmark’s largest container port, offers direct connections to major European ports and regular feeder services linking Scandinavia, the Baltic region, the UK, and continental Europe. It is a key hub for Maersk Line’s AE10 service, providing direct shipping routes between Europe and the Far East. Aarhus serves central Denmark and the wider Jutland region, efficiently connecting to global markets via extensive shortsea and deep-sea routes.

Port Statistics

Port of Aarhus, Denmark – Key Statistics (2025):

• TEU Throughput: 441,670 TEU (Jan–July 2025); July record: 86,835 TEU
• World Ranking: Not in global top 50; largest container port in Denmark, handling over 70% of national container traffic
• Number of Berths: 14
• Port Area: Approximately 2.5 million m²
• Shipping Lines: Major lines include Maersk, MSC, Hapag-Lloyd, and CMA CGM, with direct routes to Asia, North Germany, Poland, Scandinavia, and the Baltic region